Ruth wrote to say that she has no knowledge of her father or her living Compston relatives but with her son Norman has discovered the following:
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1887 24 April Edward Leonard COMPSTON birth Sedgley Staffs
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1891 UK Census Shaw Road Wolverhampton Western District 12)
Edward Wones COMPSTON head age 25 born Woodsetton Staffs packer
Rachel COMPSTON wife 25 born Sedgley Staffs
Joseph Naylor COMPSTON age 5 born Wolverhampton Staffs
Edward Leonard COMPSTON son age 3 born Wolverhampton Staffs
Florence EM Compston daughter age 1 born Wolverhampton Staffs
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1901 UK Census Rudge Lane Sedgley district 35
Edward Wones COMPSTON head aged 35 born Woodsetton Staffs, varnish worker packer
Rachel COMPSTON wife age 35 born Sedgley Staffs
Joseph Naylor COMPSTON son 15 born ditto
Edward Leonard COMPSTON son age 13 born ditto
Florence EM COMPSTON age 11 born ditto
Elizabeth Hannah COMPSTON age 8 born ditto
Lilian May COMPSTON age 5 born Wolverhampton Staffs
May Phillis Wones COMPSTON age 3 born Wolverhampton
William George COMPSTON age 1 born Sedgley Staffs
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1911 UK census 62 Gibbons Road Sedgley district 2
Edward WONES COMPSTON head 46 years born Woodsetton Staffs Varnish packer
Rachel wife age 46 born Sedgley Staffs
Edward Leonard Compston son (shown as Leonard C) single aged 23 born Sedgley
Ethel M Compston daughter aged 21 born Wolverhampton Staffs
Lilian May Compston daughter aged 15 born Coseley Bilston
May PW Compston daughter aged 13 born Coseley Bilston
William George Compston son aged 11 born Coseley Bilston
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1913 Edward L Compston married Clara Rogers quarter end Sept 1913
1915 son Sydney born Montreal 19 Aug 1915
1917 and 1918 she has Permits for Edward L Compston to leave Canada to travel to U.S.A for Varnish Making Consultation
1918 Sep Edward L COMPSTON travelling from 5 Jerome Street Toronto to Flint varnish maker aged 35 nearest relative wife Clara
1919 Feb 24 Clara COMPSTON travelling Toronto to Flint aged 33 nearest relative in UK mother Betsy ROGERS of Staffordshire.
1919 A Contract of Employment for Edward L COMPSTON
1920 Jan 1st US Census Toledo ward 8 district 100 Lucas Ohio shows Edward Leonard COMPSTON head aged 41 born England Alien, varnish maker immigrant 1913 with Clara his wife aged 34 Alien immigrant 1913 and Leonard S(ydney) COMPSTON son aged 4 born Canada with 4 boarders working in varnishing making.
1920 Feb 2 at Toledo Ohio Clara Rogers COMPSTON died and Sydney COMPSTON was brought to U.K
1920 Edward L COMPSTON April 26 with son Sydney from New York to London to 62 Gibbons Road Sedgley varnish maker aged 32 and 4
1920 Mountain Varnish Color works - a letter from them Mr WW to him April 6th 1920. Refers to his imminent trip to UK with boy plus a reference to a Mrs Walters and offering to keep open his position for his return. Read the letter.
1920 May 17 from Liverpool to New York varnish maker, widow age 33 returning to Toledo Ohio. Nearest relative in UK mother Mrs COMPSTON at 62 Gibbons Road Sedgley.
1921 Edward L COMPSTON November 8 travelling Quebec to Liverpool varnish maker age 33 without spouse to visit 62 Gibbons Road Dudley on SS Empress of Britain.
1922 May - Edward L C. arrived in New York from Liverpool travelled alone leaving his son Sydney in U.K
1922 Edward L Travelled into Canada without spouse, nearest relative brother was recorded as George.
1922 October Teresa Compston arrived in U.K from Montreal. Born in Holgate Ohio. Visiting 62 Gibbons Road Sedgley not with spouse.
1922 Dec. Edward LC age 35 Travelled to 6 Algonquin Avenue Toronto, Canada wife named as Teresa.
1923 Nov 1 St Albans Vermont USA Florence DUCKWORTH going to Cicero Illinois, teacher. Mother in Chorley road Bolton Mrs Mary Duckworth.
1923 Nov 3rd East Street Louis, Illinois married Florence Duckworth (Ruth's mother)
1927 Birth of daughter Ruth Michigan Detroit. 27th March.
1928/9 Birth of Norman COMPSTON father of Jan
1929 Reference from The Truscon Laboratories Detroit Mich. U.S.A
1929 July Edward returned to U.K for a holiday 1930 and died 1930
1929 Florence Duckworth then returned to Lancs 1929 where her family lived with no further contact with the Compstons
1930 Probate of will Edward L COMPSTON of 8 Parkdale, Sedgley 13th June died at Royal Hospital Worcester. Probate granted to widow Florence 1 Dec 1930. Effects £287
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1938 July 19th Ruth was admitted to the Liverpool Blue Coat Hospital. She is exploring with the school for further records about this.
1941 Florence COMPSTON married Walter W WILMIN
1944 Sydney married Florence S Wall Rowley Regis quarter end Sept 1944 died Wakefield 1994 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1946 Ruth married 30th March the day after her 18th birthday at Llandegfan Parish Church by the vicar Rev. Ramsden. Marriages March Quarter 1946
873 Ruth To GRAY Anglesey E. 11b 873
1947 Ruth's son Norman GRAY was born 4th January Tynemouth Hospital North Shields.
1948 Ruth's daughter Linda GRAY was born November 9th at Bangor Hospital North Wales. She died 1987
1984 1 Jun Florence WILMIN died Caerhun North Wales
1987 Death of Linda GRAY. To be added - where and her surname - was she married?
1994 Sydney died Wakefield 1994
Although Ruth inherited no photographs please see page 2 for some sent by Jan Harrison . - SEE PINK BOX NOVEMBER 2011 END COLUMN
Ruth Brandreth wrote to me about her ancestors. April 2011.
11th December 2011 Ruth sent me a large number of pages of her family tree.
She is a member of the Embroiders' Guild and the Embroidery Group of Derby Cathedral.
We are seeking any relatives of this line of CUMPSTONs.
Please contact me if you have further information
These are my comments on Edward L or Leonard Edward as he was sometimes known:
EDWARD L COMPSTON is connected with Archie COMPSTON and the WONES COMPSTON tree
Leonard Edward COMPSTON was born
1887 June Quarter to Edward Wones COMPSTON and Rachel in Sedgley Staffs, although one census has this as Wolverhampton. He was aged 3 in the 1891 census living in St Lukes Parish Wolverhampton.
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Was this also Sydney?
There is a birth Mar 1919 Compston Sydney Parker Dudley 6b 1310
and a further marriage:
Dec 1943 Compston Sydney Brain Rowley R. 6b 1786
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He is shown as dying on 13 June 1930 at Staffordshire.
I have had further contact from a descendant of Edward L COMPSTON. Jan Harrison has written to me about her memories and I have started an additional page for her.
I have also contacted my old research colleague Peter BENT as he is related to this line to see if he can help progress our research further.
JAN HAD KINDLY SENT ME A NUMBER OF PHOTOS INCLUDING SOME OF RUTH.
CHECK THEM OUT HERE
THE LIVERPOOL BLUE COAT SCHOOL CLICK ON THE NAME FOR MORE INFORMATION
A Brief History of the School The Liverpool Blue Coat School was founded in 1708 by master mariner Bryan Blundell and the Reverend Robert Styth, the then rector of Liverpool. Reverend Styth took it upon himself to administer the first Blue Coat School, organising a place where poor children could be accommodated, cared for and learn to "read, write and cast accounts". Blundell provided the Reverend with financial backing for the project.
There is an interesting piece about it on Wikipedia including a photo.
THE LIVERPOOL BLUE COAT SCHOOL
There is also an old photo of the school at http://www.thebluecoat.org.uk/content/heritage
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES has the following records indexed for the school:
Admission and Dismissal Registers 377 BLU 19 [n.d.]
These documents are held at Liverpool Record Office and Local History Service
Boys' Admission and Dismissal Registers 377 BLU 19/1 1743 - 1962
Girls' Admission and Dismissal Registers 377 BLU 19/2 1889 - 1943